He had his white apron
on, his hair rolled back in his most fetching style, and was
putting the coffee on the table.
"But, Bowen," said I, "where - how on earth - did you - how did you
know we - what does it mean?"
Bowen saluted the First Lieutenant of C company, and said: "Well,
sir, the fact is, my time was out, and I thought I would quit. I
went to San Francisco and worked in a miners' restaurant" (here
he hesitated), "but I didn't like it, and I tried something else,
and lost all my money, and I got tired of the town, so I thought
I'd take on again, and as I knowed ye's were in C company now, I
thought I'd come to MacDowell, and I came over here this morning
and told old Smith he'd better quit; this was my job, and here I
am, and I hope ye're all well - and the little boy?"
Here was loyalty indeed, and here was Bowen the Immortal, back
again!
And now things ran smoothly once more. Roasts of beef and
haunches of venison, ducks and other good things we had through
the winter.
It was cool enough to wear white cotton dresses, but nothing
heavier. It never rained, and the climate was superb, although it
was always hot in the sun. We had heard that it was very hot
here; in fact, people called MacDowell by very bad names.
